When walking 2,650 miles on the Pacific Crest Trail, feet, shoes, and socks cannot be ignored! We both went through four pairs of shoes while hiking the PCT. Tim somehow managed to get NO blisters the entire trail! I had some blisters in the desert, but they mostly went away after I got bigger shoes.
Our major takeaways from the PCT:
- There are few downsides to shoes that are too big, but blisters and foot pain arise from shoes that are too small.
- We were happy that we had tested our shoes ahead of time. We felt like this helped us avoid injury early on. (Other than a few blisters for Renee.)
Renee’s Shoes:
- Altra Lone Peak 3.0 (450 miles, replaced with 1/2 size larger)
- Altra Lone Peak 3.0 (950 miles)
- Altra Timp (750 miles)
- Altra Lone Peak 3.5 (500 miles)
Tim’s Shoes:
- Altra Lone Peak 3.5 (550 miles)
- Altra Timp (650 miles)
- Altra Superior (800 miles)
- Altra Timp (650 Miles)
Hiking boots vs. Trail Runners
Thru hikers tend to wear trail runners rather than hiking boots. Trail runners are running shoes designed to be durable and comfortable when used on trails. Trail runners are more lightweight and dry faster than hiking boots. With a light pack, the extra support hiking boots provide isn’t really needed. In the past we’ve found that after wearing hiking boots all day, our feet are hot and sweaty and the boots feel heavy with every step. We find trail runners to be much less constrictive.
Altra Trail Running Shoes
Altra trail running shoes were quite popular on the PCT in 2018. We both had success with them during our thruhike. We both went through four different pairs of Altras during our 2018 thru hike. We both started with a Lone Peak model, but ended up trying other Altra trail running models — Timp and Superior — based on price and availability. Altra trail runners feature a wide toe box and have zero drop, which are both thought to allow for a more natural foot position. La Sportiva and Brooks trail running shoes seemed to be the next most popular brand after Altra. Neither are zero drop.
Altra trail runners are designed to work with gaiters. They have Velcro on the heel and a metal loop at the top of the laces.
Altra trail runners worked well with Kahtoola MICROspikes. They were relatively easy to pull on and off. We didn’t need the microspikes much on our thruhike, but we started fairly late (May 3) and 2018 wasn’t a bad year for snow. On the few occasions in the Sierras when we did use our microspikes, they added enough grip to make us feel comfortable on slippery snow and ice.
Tim had some issues with his Altras ripping, especially the Timp model. We did put a lot of wear and tear on them though! He became an expert sewer by the time the trail was over.
Zero Drop
Zero drop means the heel is at the same level as the toes. Most shoes have a drop, meaning the heel is higher than the toe. Zero drop is thought to be a more natural foot position, as it is the foot position of being barefoot. Because most shoes have a drop, it is very important to transition into wearing zero drop shoes. We heard of some hikers having Achilles pain. This may have been due to the fact that their Achilles was stretched out more than usual because they were used to shoes with a drop. We had used zero drop shoes for running for many years before starting the PCT. Even so, running is different than hiking. We each bought a pair of Altras half a year before starting the PCT to use for hiking and walking around town to make sure they worked for us and to transition into zero drop hiking.
Shoe Size and Blisters
In regular life before the trail, I wore a US size 6.5-7 shoe. I started the trail with a size 7 Altra Lone Peak thinking bigger was better. It turned out that 7 wasn’t actually big enough. I got blisters on my two small toes and on the sides of my heels. Hiking socks are thicker than everyday socks. Also, feet swell in the heat and when you are on them all day. I replaced my size 7 Lone Peak with a size 7.5 Lone Peak, which helped a lot! The blisters eventually turned into callouses, and I didn’t have any trouble for the rest of the trail. (I did not pop my blisters. I just left them alone.)
Socks
We both wore Darn Tough Light Cushion hiking socks on the PCT. They are comfortable and have a great warranty. We both exchanged our Darn Toughs once during the trail for a new pair. We both carried two pairs of socks. We would switch socks every day, and attach the other pair to our backpack to dry out in the sun. When I was having blister issues, I tried out a pair of Injinji toe socks that Tim found in a hiker box. Other hikers swear by them. They formed a hole after a while, and I decided to stick with the Darn Tough socks.
Gaiters
We wore Dirty Girl gaiters on the PCT. Dirty Girl gaiters are made out of thin, spandex material. They were great for keeping rocks and debris out of our shoes. They do not offer protection from water/snow though. They attached right to our Altra trail runners with Velcro on the heel and a metal hook near the toe. We each had to replace them once on the PCT.
After the Trail
We finished the PCT more than half a year ago, but we are still dealing with the effects of the trail on our feet! All of my shoes are too small. I had to buy a new pair of larger, wider shoes for work, and I bought another pair of Altras to wear outside of work.
